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Osawatomie Must Invest In Its Youth

Opinion

Written by Travis Perry

Wednesday, 18 November 2009 08:00

My wife and I have had our fair share of road trips in the last two weeks, trekking around the state for all manner of reasons. Planted firmly in our car seats for several hours each way, we found our conversations jumping from topic to topic, but always seeming to somehow settle on something relating to Osawatomie.

For those who don’t know, my wife, Amanda, recently earned a spot on the city’s Tourism Committee through her work at the John Brown Museum. Since her first meeting last month, she’s been brainstorming ideas and tossing around possible events that would help bring throngs of eager tourists into town.

In the course of our conversations, and through the experiences I’ve had since coming to Osawatomie, it seems clear to me that while the school system is solid, the array of small businesses is diverse and the majority, if not all, of the basic needs of the community are met, there is still something lacking.

Plain and simple, Osawatomie needs something to get the youth in the community excited.
Whether it’s a movie theater, a bowling alley, a youth center or even a downtown arcade, the options are out there. They just need someone to take the reins and go for it.
There are a plethora of reasons for something like this to take root, the most obvious of which is that it gives kids somewhere to go and something to do once the school bell rings. In all fairness, the Miami County Family YMCA has done a great job with its after-school program; it really is something of which to be proud. But still, the more options that can be presented to the youth of Osawatomie, the better.

I can understand why there has been little initiative to set up something like one of these options; these kind of businesses tend to have high front-end costs and take a while to get going without substantial funding backing the project. Still, such initiatives, even if not on the front burner, should be kept alive in people’s minds.

The revenue potential, the customer base and the overall possibilities in Osawatomie should be more than enough to snag a business of this sort, but especially in tough times, it never hurts for someone, anyone, to help give things a little push.

Osawatomie is a town that is hungry for growth; it’s a trend the population has made clear throughout the storied history of the community. As new businesses pop up on Main Street and renovations and remodeling continues, residents need to stand up and make it clear not just that they want their town to grow, but also in what direction.

Bringing in a youth-oriented business will help continue to encourage the growth that is being fostered in Osawatomie. It will give people a reason to be excited about the future, and it will simulate youths to continue to invest in a community that has made an investment in them.

While it’s cliché to say that our children are our future, it doesn’t make it any less true. If Osawatomie continues to remember its youths, when it comes time for them to choose where they want to go in life, they will remember Osawatomie.

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